News

Bacup residents fear road collapse

RESIDENTS fear their road could collapse as they drive over it as a row over who owns it has rumbled on for 18 months.

Dog Pits Lane, off Burnley Road, Bacup, is the only access road for 17 residents who live at the end of it.

But a year and a half ago, a several metre long stretch of retaining wall, foundations and road surface fell into the field that runs alongside it due to subsidence.

Residents say they have made numerous requests for the county council to fix the lane, but said they have been told that the road is unadopted, and therefore not the council’s responsibility.

However Bacup Coun Jimmy Eaton said he has a deed that proves the lane is adopted.

Jean Offord, a farmer, said: “I’m really frightened that when I’m driving over it in a big tractor that it’s going to collapse beneath me.

“There are several elderly residents that live here, and there’s no way an ambulance will make it down here, so it would be terrible if they became ill.

“There are people who rely on oil for their heaters, and the delivery driver wouldn’t come down here the other day, which means they only have a limited supply of heat left.

“We’ve laid a metal plate on top of the hole so we can drive over it.

“There’s an electrical cable where the hole is which has become exposed and which carries the power for all our homes.

“What if our power is lost and the company won’t travel along the lane to fix it?

“The county council won’t take responsibility for fixing the lane, but it is there responsibility and we need them to get it sorted.”

Coun Eaton said: “I can go back 30 years to when I was a postman, I would see men employed by the council doing repair works on the walls.

“Dog Pits Lane has definitely been adopted in the past and the county council needs to listen to these residents and fix the road.”

David Goode, Lancashire County Council Public Rights of Way Manager, said: "We maintain Dog Pits Lane as a public footpath but the county council officers' view is that it is not part of the adopted highway network.

"The evidence presented that some relatively minor maintenance has been carried out in the past does not prove that it is publicly maintainable for vehicles.

"While the damaged wall could have an effect on the path to some extent it continues to provide adequate access to pedestrians."

Comments (14)

Why do councils act in this way in every town and city there is roads like this yet the people still pay council tax/road tax councils should just sort it out as part and parcel of there duty to tax paying residents. Health and safety of the residents should come first. If a developer wanted to buy it for £5 million i'm sure the council would soon lay claim on it!

Why do councils act in this way in every town and city there is roads like this yet the people still pay council tax/road tax councils should just sort it out as part and parcel of there duty to tax paying residents. Health and safety of the residents should come first. If a developer wanted to buy it for £5 million i'm sure the council would soon lay claim on it!mmickk

This is a lane that services some above average price houses and farms in an area of beautiful surrounding countryside. The lane is for access to these properties only, so why should the average tax payer pay for this?

This is a lane that services some above average price houses and farms in an area of beautiful surrounding countryside. The lane is for access to these properties only, so why should the average tax payer pay for this?shelly19

It's cases like these, where the Authorities are acting on wrong information, that end up costing the Taxpayer's a fortune in legal fees...Someone should make a freedom of information request for legal fees paid by the Council and realise a massive chunk of taxpayers money is being creamed off by lawyers in cases such as these...these cases are organised....thousan
ds of them.

It's cases like these, where the Authorities are acting on wrong information, that end up costing the Taxpayer's a fortune in legal fees...Someone should make a freedom of information request for legal fees paid by the Council and realise a massive chunk of taxpayers money is being creamed off by lawyers in cases such as these...these cases are organised....thousan
ds of them.HairyBowls

If you actually look the houses aren't that high value compared to others in the area i.e. on Burnley Road, those in the farms have been there for generations and yes all council taxes are paid! Saying the "average council tax" payer shouldn't pay is like the residents refusing to pay for repairs to the road to your housing estate ... I've seen the residents out taking care of all of the rest of lane from the bridge to the houses at the very end. The part in question is from the road to the bridge ... the works that were carried out weren't minor as state by the council officer they were major with council workers often there for weeks. The residents have PROOF this part of the lane IS adopted but funnily enough tippex has been applied to documents at the councils end - go figure. This part of the lane is used by parents dropping their kids off at the school on Burnley Road too ... so are the council waiting for someone to be seriously injured before they do anything!?!

If you actually look the houses aren't that high value compared to others in the area i.e. on Burnley Road, those in the farms have been there for generations and yes all council taxes are paid! Saying the "average council tax" payer shouldn't pay is like the residents refusing to pay for repairs to the road to your housing estate ... I've seen the residents out taking care of all of the rest of lane from the bridge to the houses at the very end. The part in question is from the road to the bridge ... the works that were carried out weren't minor as state by the council officer they were major with council workers often there for weeks. The residents have PROOF this part of the lane IS adopted but funnily enough tippex has been applied to documents at the councils end - go figure. This part of the lane is used by parents dropping their kids off at the school on Burnley Road too ... so are the council waiting for someone to be seriously injured before they do anything!?!BacupGirl

BacupGirl wrote:
If you actually look the houses aren't that high value compared to others in the area i.e. on Burnley Road, those in the farms have been there for generations and yes all council taxes are paid! Saying the &quot;average council tax" payer shouldn't pay is like the residents refusing to pay for repairs to the road to your housing estate ... I've seen the residents out taking care of all of the rest of lane from the bridge to the houses at the very end. The part in question is from the road to the bridge ... the works that were carried out weren't minor as state by the council officer they were major with council workers often there for weeks. The residents have PROOF this part of the lane IS adopted but funnily enough tippex has been applied to documents at the councils end - go figure. This part of the lane is used by parents dropping their kids off at the school on Burnley Road too ... so are the council waiting for someone to be seriously injured before they do anything!?!

Yes, probably - it's the usual excuse from them. It's also a stock response to say they don't know who's responsible for it when they don't want to do anything about it. How can they not know?

[quote][p][bold]BacupGirl[/bold] wrote:
If you actually look the houses aren't that high value compared to others in the area i.e. on Burnley Road, those in the farms have been there for generations and yes all council taxes are paid! Saying the "average council tax" payer shouldn't pay is like the residents refusing to pay for repairs to the road to your housing estate ... I've seen the residents out taking care of all of the rest of lane from the bridge to the houses at the very end. The part in question is from the road to the bridge ... the works that were carried out weren't minor as state by the council officer they were major with council workers often there for weeks. The residents have PROOF this part of the lane IS adopted but funnily enough tippex has been applied to documents at the councils end - go figure. This part of the lane is used by parents dropping their kids off at the school on Burnley Road too ... so are the council waiting for someone to be seriously injured before they do anything!?![/p][/quote]Yes, probably - it's the usual excuse from them. It's also a stock response to say they don't know who's responsible for it when they don't want to do anything about it. How can they not know?rudis_dad

Being a parent of children that are at Northern Primary School you are asked not to park down Dog Pits Lane as it is a private road. I've tried to park down there on 2 occasions and have been asked to leave by the residents as they also say it is a private road for access only - you can't have it both ways...

Do what other residents on unadopted roads do and club together to fix this or stop heavy wagons using it as it obviously can't take the weight.

Being a parent of children that are at Northern Primary School you are asked not to park down Dog Pits Lane as it is a private road. I've tried to park down there on 2 occasions and have been asked to leave by the residents as they also say it is a private road for access only - you can't have it both ways...
Do what other residents on unadopted roads do and club together to fix this or stop heavy wagons using it as it obviously can't take the weight.beefnonion

The point is the residents have proof that this lane IS adopted and the evidence of work done is not minor but major repairs, mysterious the council documents have been tippexed out. Yes, the lane services residents but a large number of parents use the lane to Park when collecting their children...
Residents pay.council tax and taxes too,

The point is the residents have proof that this lane IS adopted and the evidence of work done is not minor but major repairs, mysterious the council documents have been tippexed out. Yes, the lane services residents but a large number of parents use the lane to Park when collecting their children...
Residents pay.council tax and taxes too,BacupGirl

The residents aren't trying to have it both ways, where ppl park is privately owned and is one of few passing places which is.why you may have been asked not to park. there are working farms and fuel trucks who need access. The rest of the lane is looked after, but that stretch to the bridge is adopted and needs fixing, the only reason it's in the state it's in is because the council stopped looking after it.

The residents aren't trying to have it both ways, where ppl park is privately owned and is one of few passing places which is.why you may have been asked not to park. there are working farms and fuel trucks who need access. The rest of the lane is looked after, but that stretch to the bridge is adopted and needs fixing, the only reason it's in the state it's in is because the council stopped looking after it.BacupGirl

"Jean Offord, a farmer, said: “I’m really frightened that when I’m driving over it in a big tractor that it’s going to collapse beneath me"

Then I suggest you stop bleating and get off your tractor then fix the problem!

Why the hell should we pay for your private road. Get on with it and shut up

"Jean Offord, a farmer, said: “I’m really frightened that when I’m driving over it in a big tractor that it’s going to collapse beneath me"
Then I suggest you stop bleating and get off your tractor then fix the problem!
Why the hell should we pay for your private road. Get on with it and shut uppdb951

BacupGirl wrote:
The residents aren't trying to have it both ways, where ppl park is privately owned and is one of few passing places which is.why you may have been asked not to park. there are working farms and fuel trucks who need access. The rest of the lane is looked after, but that stretch to the bridge is adopted and needs fixing, the only reason it's in the state it's in is because the council stopped looking after it.

Well get off you ar**s and fix it youselves

[quote][p][bold]BacupGirl[/bold] wrote:
The residents aren't trying to have it both ways, where ppl park is privately owned and is one of few passing places which is.why you may have been asked not to park. there are working farms and fuel trucks who need access. The rest of the lane is looked after, but that stretch to the bridge is adopted and needs fixing, the only reason it's in the state it's in is because the council stopped looking after it.[/p][/quote]Well get off you ar**s and fix it youselvespdb951

well if it is adopted, then it is not a private road, so the sign which states "private" must be removed as it is making a false claim.

If it is adopted, then you are quite right, it is the councils responsibility to repair and maintain it.

If the paper work has been tippexed out, then get a copy form the land registry, this will show ownership and end this matter once and for all.

Just to go off at a slight tangent though....have we seen the LCC claims that it will cost £60billion to repair the roads and the pot holes? well then get on with it LCC, you have had the money form car tax and council tax to carry out this maintainance work, it is not our fault you have failed in your duties as an authority and used this money for something else....stop trying to justify increasing council tax to pay for your failings....do the job you have already been paid to do simples. and this includes repairing the ones like dog pits lane which you have allowed to become so bad that they are in danger of total collapse!!!

Rant over lol

well if it is adopted, then it is not a private road, so the sign which states "private" must be removed as it is making a false claim.
If it is adopted, then you are quite right, it is the councils responsibility to repair and maintain it.
If the paper work has been tippexed out, then get a copy form the land registry, this will show ownership and end this matter once and for all.
Just to go off at a slight tangent though....have we seen the LCC claims that it will cost £60billion to repair the roads and the pot holes? well then get on with it LCC, you have had the money form car tax and council tax to carry out this maintainance work, it is not our fault you have failed in your duties as an authority and used this money for something else....stop trying to justify increasing council tax to pay for your failings....do the job you have already been paid to do simples. and this includes repairing the ones like dog pits lane which you have allowed to become so bad that they are in danger of total collapse!!!
Rant over lolmysay.com